These Asian-inspired chicken lettuce wraps are the easiest small bite or healthy meal idea! Inspired by the popular P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps, my copycat recipe turns simple ingredients into something crave-worthy in just 25 minutes. I sauté tender ground chicken with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and chili garlic sauce, then fold it into crisp butter lettuce leaves with rice for a fresh and filling bite.
Top Reader Reviews
These are delicious! I make these for lunch at least weekly. Great recipe!
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The flavor of the chicken is so good! I love the taste of it! Goes perfect with the lettuce wraps!
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Copycat Asian Lettuce Wraps
It’s safe to say that I’m obsessed with this Asian chicken lettuce wraps recipe, inspired by P.F. Chang’s! Little cups of lettuce stuffed with ground chicken, veggies, rice, and a punchy sauce makes a fresh and healthy lunch. Using ground chicken keeps the filling lean and helps it soak up all those bold flavors, while diced red bell pepper and water chestnuts add crunch.
I use the freshest lettuce I can find, and I personally love to use large butter lettuce leaves. But iceberg is great if you want that extra crunch! I cut down my kitchen time by using leftover rice to make these lettuce cups, but instant rice packets work fast too. These copycat lettuce wraps are surprisingly filling and deliver all the satisfaction of a restaurant favorite at a fraction of the price!
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My Trick for Extra-Crisp Lettuce
Before assembling your wraps, soak the lettuce leaves in ice water for 5-10 minutes, then pat them dry. This helps to ensure the leaves stay sturdy and crisp under the warm filling. Nobody likes soggy lettuce!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
For the Ground Chicken:
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- ½ red bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground)
- 8 ounces water chestnuts (1 can, drained and chopped)
- 1 pound ground chicken (*)
For the Wraps:
- 3 cups cooked rice (**)
- 8 butter lettuce leaves
Optional Toppings:
- chopped cashews
- sriracha
- chopped green onion
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Once heated, add in the onion and red bell pepper, cooking for a few minutes until softened. Add in garlic, ginger, and water chestnuts, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ medium onion, ½ red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 8 ounces water chestnuts
- Add in ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks. Once cooked through, add in the sauce and stir to combine. Simmer the mixture on low for a few minutes, letting the excess liquid reduce.1 pound ground chicken
- Spoon equal amounts of the chicken mixture and cooked rice into butter lettuce leaves. Top each lettuce wrap with chopped cashews, sriracha, and chopped green onion.3 cups cooked rice, 8 butter lettuce leaves, chopped cashews, sriracha, chopped green onion
Notes
- Before serving, I like to soak the lettuce leaves in ice water for 5-10 minutes, then pat dry. This keeps the leaves extra crisp and sturdy, so they don’t wilt under the warm filling.
- After cooking the chicken, let the filling rest for 3-5 minutes before spooning into lettuce. This gives the sauce time to thicken slightly and cling better to the chicken and rice, so the wraps aren’t watery.
- If cooking for a family, you can divide the chicken mixture into two pans after browning–leave one mild, and stir extra chili garlic sauce or sriracha into the other. That way, kids and spice-lovers both get wraps they enjoy.
- Spread leftover cooked rice on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds to fluff and warm before adding it to the filling. This keeps the wraps from tasting heavy or clumpy.
- Once assembled, Asian chicken lettuce wraps are best served immediately. However, you can store the ground chicken mixture separately from the lettuce!
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Watch me make this on Youtube!
I can’t believe how easy these are to throw together in 25 minutes.
How to Make Lettuce Wraps with Ground Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather all of the ingredients needed to make these ground chicken lettuce wraps. Leftover rice works great for these lettuce wraps, or cook some ahead of time so it’s ready to use. Chop the onion and bell pepper. For extra-crisp wraps, soak the lettuce leaves in ice water for 5-10 minutes, then pat them dry.
Make the Sauce: Stir together 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1½ tablespoons of chili garlic sauce. Set the sauce aside while you cook the chicken and veggies.
Cook the Veggies: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add in ½ of a chopped onion and ½ of a chopped red bell pepper. Cook until softened, then stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, and 1 (8 ounce) can of chopped water chestnuts. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Add the Chicken: Add 1 pound of ground chicken to the pan, breaking it up as it cooks.
Make it Saucy: Once the chicken is cooked, stir in the sauce. Simmer on low so the excess moisture reduces. I recommend letting the chicken mixture sit for 3-5 minutes before adding it to the wraps so the sauce has a chance to thicken up a bit.
Assemble the Lettuce Wraps: Spoon equal amounts of cooked rice and ground chicken into lettuce leaves. Top with garnishes like green onions, cashews, and sriracha!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover ground chicken lettuce wrap filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until warmed through. Serve with fresh lettuce.
More Asian Chicken Recipes to Try!
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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